CLEVELAND, OH—Dr. Mary Jean Brown, chief of the Lead
Poisoning Prevention Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
will report on the federal government’s plan to eliminate lead poisoning in
American’s children by 2010 at noon on Thursday, March 31,
2005, at The City Club of
Cleveland. She will also share insight on
promising strategies and best practices to assist communities in reaching this
objective.

Lead poisoning can be a devastating
illness for young children. It affects their intellectual development and
behavior, impacts their capacity for normal cognition and retention, and
prevents them from reaching their full potential. All too often, children living
in poverty are disproportionately affected, compounding the disadvantages that
they already face.

In Cleveland, lead poisoning is the top
environmental hazard facing our children. One in every five children tested is
found to have lead poisoning; in some city neighborhoods, the rate is as high as
50 percent—one of the highest in the nation.

In 2000, the federal government
drafted an ambitious plan to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in the
United
States by 2010. To address the epidemic
here, the Saint Luke’s Foundation has approved a $1.3 million grant to eradicate
lead poisoning in Greater Cleveland in three years.

Tickets for this City Club Special
Program are $13 for members and $20 for non-members. Lunch is included.
Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. They can be purchased by
calling The City Club at 216.621.0082 or visiting the website at
www.cityclub.org.

Established in
1912 to encourage new ideas and a free exchange of thought, The City Club of
Cleveland is the oldest continuous free speech forum in the country, renowned
for its tradition of debate and discussion. The City Club’s mission is to
inform, educate and inspire citizens by presenting significant ideas and
providing opportunities for dialogue in a collegial
setting.

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